Tuesday Evening (Third Week)

O LORD our GOD, we bless Thee that we are again permitted in the multitude of Thy mercies to see the close of another day.—We would close it with Thee. Ere we retire to rest, we would supplicate the guardian care of Israel’s unslumbering Shepherd. Make not our pillow this night the pillow of death. Give Thine angels charge over us during the unconscious hours of sleep, and when we awake, may we be still with Thee.

We adore Thee, blessed GOD, as the source of all our happiness—the Author of all our blessings; forbid that we should ever seek for happiness in meaner joys— that we should suffer any created good to displace Thyself from the supreme place in our affections. We desire to take Thee as our chief joy—to subordinate to Thee, all else beside. Do Thou undertake for us. Guide us by Thy counsel. We cast our every care upon Thee; Thou carest for us; Thou caredst for us before we cared for ourselves; our lives are one continuous history of undeserved watchfulness in the past. And we will trust Thee in the future. In all our ways we would acknowledge Thee, do Thou direct our paths. Let our one animating wish and longing be— to be nearer Thee now, and with Thee forever in Heaven. May every returning night as it finds us nearer the morning of glory find us better prepared for it.

We desire this night to lie down in peace and sleep, with our eye on the opened fountain. Wash out all the defilements of the day; all the sins of omission and commission, LORD, pardon them. Accept of us in the Beloved. We stand now, as we desire to stand on a judgment day, robed in Thy Son’s righteousness. He is able to save, He is willing to save, He is waiting to save. We have no other refuge but Him, no other friend like Him. We merge all our concerns into His hands.

We commend, HOLY FATHER, to Thy gracious care and providence our family and household. May each be a member of the household of faith. Do Thou, if it be Thy will, long continue unbroken our home-circle on earth, but let our true home be above. Let the watchword of each near and dear to us be this—“ we are journeying unto the place of which the LORD hath said, I will give it you.” [Bless the young; train them early for glory. Preserve them from the countless temptations of a world lying in wickedness.] We pray for the afflicted ; we commend them to Him who knows their frame; who did Himself pass through all the wilderness discipline, and who having suffered, being tempted, is able to succor them that are tempted.

Let Thy kingdom come. Stand by Thy Missionary servants ; may they have many heathen souls for their hire—many who shall be to them as a crown of joy and rejoicing, on the Great day.

LORD, we commend us to Thee;— known unto Thee are all our wants; we leave our petitions at the footstool of Thy Throne, knowing that in Thee we have a rich Provider ; and when the provisions of the earthly journey are needed no more, may it be ours to feed on the better bread which endureth to everlasting life. And all that we ask is in the name and for the sake of Him whom Thou hearest always, and to whom with Thee the Father, and Thee, O ETERNAL SPIRIT, one GOD, be ascribed all blessing and honor, and glory and praise, world without end. Amen.

Our Father, &c.

The Grace of our Lord, &c.